Practice Doesn't Make Perfect
by falcon-121
Summary: A spoof of a chase involving all sorts of shenanigans. Features Elle and Gideon. One-shot. *DISCLAIMER* I do not own Criminal Minds.


_**I haven't written for the last few prompts (shame on me), but I figured that I'd get the ball rolling tonight. I'm a little afraid that this one won't seem as comical because of some of my other works (Bizarro Rossi and the Kentucky Fried, mainly), but I'll post it anyway. I call this one "Practice Doesn't Make Perfect." It combines an idea I've had for a while with a blast from the past. Hope you enjoy! **_

Elle wasn't afraid to get dirty. Bumps and bruises didn't phase her. She was one of the few girls that Derek Morgan knew that didn't mind the physicality that came with field work, and perhaps the only one who actually enjoyed it. He loved that about her. However, neither agent loved the collision that had just taken place.

Field work is an adrenaline rush. Everything happens so fast, often things are just a blur, and one itsy-bitsy mistake could carry large consequences. Today was no exception. Jamie Wheeler was a killer and he was on the run in New York City. Agents seemed to be after him from all sides as he bumbled into an alley. Elle chased him into the alley, Morgan took the alley to the left and Hotch and Gideon took the one to the right. JJ and Reid, who had been ordered by Hotch to stay behind on the sidewalk, watched with folded arms and rolled out lips.

"Why do we never get to join in the fun," Reid whined.

"Because we are the babies of the family," JJ grumbled.

Elle was almost on Wheeler's heels. She was about to take him down to the concrete when she was blind-sided from the left. Morgan had ran around a building, cut right and dove for a tackle as he saw Wheeler. He was a second late, and the consequence would be that he would be dealing with a hot-headed brunette from Brooklyn on the flight home. That's right, he collided straight into Elle and the two agents landed in a heap. JJ's and Reid's jaws dropped.

"Did he..."

"... just tackle Elle?"

The two young agents flashed each other shocked expressions, then ran down the alley to be of assistance to their friends, who were shakily getting up. Wheeler had continued running and turned a corner.

"What the hell was that," Elle yelled, glaring at Morgan.

"Sorry," Morgan said, embarrassed, "My bad."

"Damn right you're bad! Now he's getting away!"

"Um," JJ piped up, "He isn't exactly--"

"Shut up, blondie," Elle interrupted.

"Oh, _hell _no," JJ exclaimed, "It's on now!"

The two would have thrown down right then and there, but Morgan held back Elle and Reid attempted to restrain JJ. All four of them heard a loud crash and a lot of clanging. They looked forward, watched a trash can lid roll in from the right and clatter to a halt. They immediately refocused and ran around the building to see what happened. They turned the corner just in time to witness Aaron Hotchner picking himself up from a pile of up-turned garbage cans. He picked up a dazed Wheeler roughly and cuffed him. Gideon was chuckling hysterically.

"It isn't funny," Hotch said sternly.

"Oh yes," Gideon wheezed, gasping for air between chuckles, "it is!"

The four younger agents all cracked smiles. Hotch looked down at his suit, and he had to admit that the sight of him was rather amusing. There was spaghetti sauce all over the right side of his jacket and a rotten banana peel hanging from his left shoulder. Judging from the flies that were pestering him, he must have smelled awful to his colleagues.

"Here," Gideon said, "Let me help you with that."

He grabbed the peel and tossed it towards the cans, still trying to recover from his laughing fit. Morgan took Wheeler off Hotch's hands and started walking towards the SUV. Reid and JJ started swatting the flies away.

"Thanks," Hotch said, "but didn't I tell you to stay behind."

"Uh," Reid said. His face resembled that of the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"We did, sir," JJ jumped in, "but Elle and Morgan looked hurt, so we came to their rescue!"

Hotch sighed. Then he did something that he never did in front of his team. He laughed... hard. And his laughter was contagious. By the time they got to the SUV, the whole team was laughing until their sides hurt. This was definitely going to be the highlight story of the BAU Christmas party for a long time to come.

_**Ok, all finished! Feel free to give feedback if you want, I appreciate all support and suggestions! **_


End file.
